Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38527816›Full record

ArticleAnnals of family medicine

Small Independent Primary Care Practices Serving Socially Vulnerable Urban Populations.

Diane R Rittenhouse, Victoria Peebles, Caroline Mack, Cindy Alvarez, Andrew Bazemore

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of family medicine. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Behavioral Health in Independently Owned Family Medicine Practices.Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Diane R RittenhouseMathematica, Oakland, California drittenhouse@mathematica-mpr.com.
Victoria PeeblesMathematica, Oakland, California.
Caroline MackMathematica, Oakland, California.
Cindy AlvarezMathematica, Oakland, California.
Andrew BazemoreAmerican Board of Family Medicine, Washington, DC.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis mixed methods study sought to describe the extent to which family physicians in urban communities serve socially vulnerable patients and to better understand their practices, their challenges, and the structural supports that could facilitate their patient care.

methodsWe conducted a quantitative analysis of questionnaire data from 100% of US physicians recertifying for family medicine from 2017 to 2020. We conducted qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 22 physician owners of urban, small, independent practices who reported that the majority of their patients were socially vulnerable.

resultsIn 2020, in urban areas across the United States, 19.3% of family physicians served in independent practices with 1 to 5 clinicians, down from 22.6% in 2017. Nearly one-half of these physicians reported that >10% of their patients were socially vulnerable. Interviews with 22 physicians who reported that the majority of their patients were socially vulnerable revealed 5 themes: (1) substantial time spent addressing access issues and social determinants of health, (2) minimal support from health care entities, such as independent practice associations and health plans, and insufficient connection to community-based organizations, (3) myriad financial challenges, (4) serious concerns about the future, and (5) deep personal commitment to serving socially vulnerable patients in independent practice.

conclusionsSmall independent practices serving vulnerable patients in urban communities are surviving because deeply committed physicians are making personal sacrifices. Health equity-focused policies could decrease the burden on these physicians and bolster independent practices so that socially vulnerable patients continue to have options when seeking primary care.

Indexed as

Family PracticePhysicians, FamilyHumansPrimary Health CareSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited StatesUrban PopulationVulnerable Populationsdelivery of health carehealth equityindependent practiceprimary caresafety net

Identifiers

PMID38527816
PMCPMC11237197

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.